There's Always You
by magnipisika16
Summary: In those thousand moments that you and I have been together, only a handful of few of them was I able to see happy. It irritates me to think that you're only treated that way.Perhaps he doesn't really have any idea about your true worth in this world.


**Hello~~~~ First of all, I'd like to apologize for the last two fics I've posted that are a bit . . . bitter in a sense, but, my head's just been producing those kind of ideas for the past few days, then, I came to this idea . . . I promise, this won't be as heavy as the others . . . *smiles***

**Song: Halaga ("Worth" in Tagalog)  
Artist: Parokya ni Edgar**

_You're crying once again_

Mournful sobs were heard from inside the janitor's closet. The blond young man had to actually skid into a stop as he tried to ensure his guess. Surely, if anybody else would hear that kind of noise, they would've made a run for it, together with a few rants that included paranormal activity, but, he, being able to hear this since he first passed through this hallway, had grown quite tired of it.

With a suppressed sigh, he turned the knob and opened the door to reveal the phantom who wept painfully from beneath the various cleaning supplies.

"Lal," he called a bit firmly.

_Dang it, don't you know how to do anything else?_

Said woman raised her head from too much quavering to stare up onto those authoritative blue eyes. She should've known it was he who would find her like this, not that she appreciates it very much. As a matter of fact, she despised it, the way this . . . this _student _looks at her as if she was someone stupid.

He sure thinks she is.

"What happened this time, kora?" The young blond squatted himself in level of her wet and puffy face. She gave out a pout as she turned away. This he could've found adorable, except she was doing it while she was in a disgusting state.

He may just be a student, but, he did by no means believe that this was the act of a respectable teacher.

"Just go," was her meek reply, head still turned away. He actually scowled at that return.

"Oh for the love of everything Spartan, isn't there anything you should be doing besides crying there, kora?"

_Red, inflamed eyes . . ._

Lal gritted her teeth as her swollen eyes stared up to him with so much hatred and rage that she wished he was eaten by the ground he squatted on.

"You dare say that to me, you good-for-nothing little Lemon-Head?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, making her wince; since it was the same method she did to him when he acted like a complete goofball in class. Letting herself be stared upon that way conveyed a resentful message to her.

F.Y.I., Lal Mirch is anything but a complete goofball.

"Yes, I do dare, kora," he replied simply, taking off his reading glasses, and hanging it on his vest. She tried to slap him as her comeback, but he had quick reflexes—probably from those countless times she threw a dictionary to his direction. He grabbed her hand, and grabbed the other when it tried to substitute. Then, he stood up, pulling her with him, and then carried her bridal-style out of the Utility Closet, towards a place more suitable for them to talk.

Thankfully, dismissal bell had already rung about thirty minutes ago; otherwise, Lal would have to go through the embarrassment of being seen carried in the arms of one of her students.

_When are you going to grow tired?_

Gently, he placed her down on a table, and took his items which he forced her to hold when he did his little "act".

"You know, there's an offense called 'Harassing the Teacher'," she warned him, pushing back her glasses in place as she peered into them, hoping that the glasses magnify her poignant glare.

"That's only if I get caught, kora," he replied casually, pulling a chair towards her front, and slumping himself down.

"Or, if I report you," she countered. He just shrugged, showing that he didn't care. To add insult to injury, he even sat in the way a student from a while ago did that caused Lal to throw the large encyclopedia with full accuracy at him.

_Well in hell he be damned_, she cursed silently as she resisted the urge to kick him in his vital part. Colonello should be happy she was a bit vulnerable today, _and, _because there was not a book in sight.

"Look, whatever, all right?" Colonello shook the thought off before Lal could swerve the topic there, and have them neglect the real matter at hand: the reason for Lal's hot soothing tears to fall.

"It's not your business, if my little moment is in the question," she mumbled, looking away.

_That's alright_, Colonello thought. He didn't need Lal to tell him the reason. He knew it fully well.

With purposely a few inches space from her smooth, white legs, he slammed the table she sat on, making her almost fall off in shock.

"Honestly," he hissed. "Until when are you going to try and endure this, Lal, kora?"

"Endure what?" she challenged, nearing his face towards him as if to taunt him, but in the end she was the one who ended up recoiling, intimidated by his somewhat gorgeous spring-blue eyes.

Lal had to mentally slap herself for that. She just said "gorgeous".

_With this problem that you're carrying brought to you by your boyfriend whom you can never understand_

"Is it about that jerk again, kora?" he questioned almost with certainty when still she didn't try and explain herself.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she denied.

Colonello gave out an exasperated sigh as he leaned back. Why can't Lal see that he already _knows _about what is with her and this boyfriend of hers? If truth be told, he needn't an explanation, but, somehow, he found his presence the only cure that could help her ease herself up.

His rather stunning teacher needed someone to talk to.

"Shouldn't you be home anyway?" she burbled when she found herself constricted with the silence. She still refused to give eye contact, even though she could see him not take his eyes off her.

"I stayed to fix a few things for the forthcoming School Festival, kora," he softly answered.

"Oh."

"Okay, now you answer my question, kora."

Lal scowled as she robotically looked back at him.

"What did your boyfriend did to you this time, kora?"

_You have a story that befits a drama like the ones on TV that seems so endless_

"Well, where should I start?" Lal mused with sarcastic enthusiasm. Colonello couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Today's our first anniversary and he promised me that he'd take me somewhere special, like how he did everytime we celebrate our monthsarries. However, he called the last minute, and told me he had to do something important, and added to it was apologies that were pronounced so profusely . . ."

"Like how he did everytime you celebrate your monthsarries, kora . . ." Colonello continued for her. She actually gave a grim smile as she looked out at the glass window, watching the afternoon to settle in properly.

"Then, I received a call from a friend of mine, and she told me something quite . . . interesting . . ."

"How interesting, kora?"

"Oh, not of the highest value in terms of gossip, but . . . I sure did find it quite . . . how shall I put this? Striking."

"What did your friend tell you, kora?"

"That she saw him with some younger girl . . ."

"Dang," he cursed under his breath, his hands itching to wring that he-slut's neck.

"Wait, you didn't hear the best part," she halted him with a false smile. "That girl happened to be a student here at this school."

Colonello found himself bite his lower lip in agitation. What a grade-A pedophiliac this man might be to actually have the hots for a student—and a student from the school his _girlfriend_ is currently working in.

Sad, sad, old he-bitch.

But before he found himself stand up and ask Lal for the guy's home address or the address of the club he usually smolders his dead ass' cash if ever there was, he had to check his teacher's little feedback.

"Let me give a sweet little guess," he deduced with a bored look in his face. "You didn't believe that, did you, kora?"

"You know that I don't believe in gossips since ninety-five percent of the statement is often fabricated," she told him. "Nope, I just scoffed it off like how I always did, but . . ."

"But, you're still a woman," he continued for her. "Which means you are genetically designed to believe them no matter how ridiculous and unproven they might sound, kora."

"Don't judge me," she scorned. "When I met you, you were joining a group of men in trying to find that mythical new female teacher who stripped for her students."

Colonello smiled at the thought. To be honest, back then, she really _did _look like she knew how.

_Until when are you going to be like that?_

"But, seriously speaking, though," Lal sighed as she took off her glasses and wiped away her tears. "That's all over now. I'll ask him for an explanation tonight when I get home. If you're asking me for some sort of token of appreciation for saving me from being found asleep at the janitor's closet tomorrow, then fine. I won't report you to the authorities concerning harassment and disrespect. You can go home now."

"I don't think so," he stopped her. "This craziness must end, kora."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"This," he cried, gesturing at her disheveled being, standing up to give more emphasis. "You're letting that . . . that _barnacle-head_ toy around with you, kora! You who everyone here respects as a terror! Do you think that's proper for someone of your status, huh, Lal?"

Lal's eyes softened a bit, but still held in them that rather stern glare as Colonello continued.

"When are you going to try and give some reverence to yourself, kora?" He shook his head in disgust.

_Don't you know that nothing can be gained_

_From trying to endure that idiotic boyfriend of yours_

_Who did nothing but make you cry?_

"Seriously!" he almost yelled at her. "You're being—sorry for the word—stupid, kora!"

Lal looked at him with a hurt expression.

"Don't give me that look, Lal. You know that what I'm saying is true . . . He's already hurting you too much, and I know you know that he's not doing this 'accidentally' like how you force yourself to believe. Open your eyes, for heaven's sake, kora!"

The cobaltette tried to return something, but she found herself muted by the facts he was pointing out for her. She knew they were true, but she also knew that it was too early to judge the man.

No matter how worse comes to worst, he's still the man she truly loves more than anything in this world.

"Lal, are you even listening to me?" he cried when he noticed her rather spaced-out expression. "You're acting like me in Math class, kora!"

A small smile formed in her face for a moment before it turned back down into a scowl. Momentarily, she was reminded of his rather clownish appearance when she sat in to observe a co-teacher's class.

"Stop that," she said firmly, although there was a small pinch of humor sprinkled about it. "That insults me very much."

Colonello blinked at her.

"Besides," she continued, sliding off the table, making her skirt skim up a bit, revealing more of her naturally flawless skin. "It's not like I don't know what to do about this relationship myself. I'm old enough to know what or what not to tolerate, thank you very much." She started her way out towards the door, but she halted halfway, and faced him.

"And by the way, I should commend you. You are by far the first one to ever do a perfect impression of my mother."

Colonello halfheartedly smiled.

"Stop that," he mocked her. "That insults me very much, kora."

_This should not be discussed about_

Head down low, Colonello listened as a nearby branch tap itself against the glass window. Lal specifically told him to go home already, but he found that he didn't want to listen to her.

Nope.

He doesn't find her as respectable as he used to when he first met her.

That was before he first saw her cry so hard because of the same guy.

Perhaps, almost eight months ago.

Oh, look at that, she'd been doing the same thing since the day he first had her as a teacher.

_I'm also getting tired with all this talking_

Despite his slight strike against Lal, he still had to follow her reminder and go home. The afternoon was beginning to fall, and being conquered by early evening. With an almost remorseful sigh, he took his bag and started the journey on home. No more students walked home at that hour, so he felt a bit awkward walking the almost empty streets still in his uniform, but nonetheless, he didn't care.

He wasn't usually the caring type of person.

Sure, he can be sweet when the time calls for him to, but to actually care for others' benefits? Yeah, don't give much expectation on that.

So, why does Colonello seem to care so much for his teacher who, in some circumstances, only gives him a right amount of attention when it was his turn to be the target for her bookshooting practices? Why does he waste his voice in constantly trying to remind her that she was being foolish when it comes to lovelife? What is his motivation in trying to one way or another comfort her when she neglects his advices?

Simple.

He has no idea whatsoever.

_You're not even listening_

On the other side of the story, we find Lal Mirch, looking through the keys of her apartment. She was too dazed to realize that she had already passed through the door key until she reached the end of the small train of metals. With a sigh, she started the cycle over again.

Two hands shot from her shoulder and covered her eyes playfully. Her first reaction was to kick backwards, but the familiar voice hindered her to do so.

"Hey, honey," a gruff voice greeted towards her ear. She smiled as she pulled the hands down and turned around to see a bouquet of freshly-picked roses presented to her with a romantic gesture.

"Any chance these little babies are enough to have you forgive me for neglecting our celebration and missing our reservations?" Lal was supposed to say something but the man was quick to bring out a small, rectangular box from his pocket.

"If not, then I'll throw this one in as an added bonus." He swayed the box teasingly at her face, and she just smiled weakly as she lifted the bouquet from his hands.

"Happy anniversary, My Beautiful Dove," he finally hailed, leaning forward to give her a kiss.

"Thank you," she replied softly, afraid that he might hear the choke in her voice. "You too."

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing the rather pained stare in her eyes. "You don't look so good."

"No, I'm just tired from the day's work, that's all."

"Well, don't wear that heavenly body out, let's go in and I'll whip up a meal fit for a royal couple." He giggled as he snuggled his nose affectionately at hers, and then brought out his own key to the house.

_No matter how tired my mouth gets with giving you advices you don't even care about_

"There's my precious Lal!" He placed down a few plates at the table as he greeted the descending woman who just emerged from the shower. "Like an angel descending down from heaven . . ."

"Stop that, you devil," she smiled, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, and brushed her lips tenderly against his. He returned the gesture, and retained his lips resolutely on hers as he led her towards the dining table. She gently broke free as she adjusted herself on a chair, and he sat down next to her.

"Great," she wailed jokingly as she eyed the numerous dishes set about her table. "How can I keep to my diet this way?"

"You don't need to go on a diet," her boyfriend argued. "You're gorgeous the way you are."

"Stop that. You're spoiling me . . ." For a moment, her beam wavered, and she had to look away to hide it.

Only she turned away a little too late.

"What's wrong, honey?" he asked a little worryingly, reaching for her countenance to make her face him. "Are you still upset for having me desert you a while ago?"

"Well . . . I _was _a bit expecting you to come."

"I'm sorry, dear. It's just that work is always on the way, but don't worry, I finished everything I had to, so I'll be free for tomorrow as well."

"You're not leaving?" she asked a bit hopefully.

"Nope," he reassured her, snaking an arm around her waist and tickling her side. "You have me all to yourself, my Lady . . ."

"Is that a promise?"

"Here's my promise." He asked her to turn around, and she did. Behind her he opened the rectangular box and pulled out a silver necklace with a dazzling ruby-embedded L-shaped pendant. He carefully put it on her neck, and made her turn back to see how it looked like paired with her lovely face.

"Perfect," he smiled.

_You give the impression that you listen_

"You still seem a bit troubled about something, my dear," he prodded, after they had finished eating. Lal insisted on cleaning the dishes, but he told her to let them there, and carried her in his arms up to her room. Now that they were undressed and their bodies were pressed to one another, he expected her to be on her "game" mode.

Unfortunately, there was still that dubious look in her face.

"Uh, what?" Lal suddenly blinked, as if she just noticed him next to her.

"Are you being bothered by your perverted students again?"

"No, of course not," she answered quickly, and then pursed her lips into a line. "Well, there _is _one . . ."

"Someone's been sexually harassing you? Give me his name, and I'll teach that little tyke a lesson for messing with my girl."

"No, no. He doesn't harass me . . . in that kind of way. It's just that . . ." Her glance turned inward as she remembered the previous conversation she had with her student at the classroom. They've been talking like that ever since she could remember, but, she must admit to this, she feels like this time, his words had reached her.

What if he was right and she was being stupid? This man beside her was just toying with her emotions as if all this was a game, that's what her student claimed, but should she believe it?

"That . . .?" he urged her as he pulled her even closer to his skin. She looked up to him, and smiled reassuringly as she shook her head.

"Nevermind," she whispered. "It's stupid anyway."

_But you don't even accept them_

The next day, the couple was getting ready for the second part of their celebration. They planned to go to the School Festival together.

Coincidentally, Colonello the-ever-protective-student-of-miss-Mirch was also on his way to school for the same event. He groggily went down the steps and bent down to adjust his shoes, and then stretched up with a yawn.

"MOM!" He yelled upwards. "I'm going to school already! Are you coming?"

"I'm a bit busy this morning!" a voice answered. "Go on ahead! I'll be there later on!"

"Okay, mom!" With that, he stepped out the door, where he found a familiar purple hair skulking about their front yard.

"What do you want, Skull, kora?" he asked the underclassman.

"Y-You seriously saw me here, Colonello-senpai?" the other exclaimed loudly, raising his head from beneath the flower beds.

"Please," he rolled his eyes. "Just get out of there before my mom finds out and pour her fury on my cat. Again, kora."

Skull, Colonello's underclassman "friend" (well, more of like a lackey, but, maybe "friend" sounds better), moved out of the clutches of the plants, and stumbled to keep up with Colonello's leisure pace.

"Slow down, Senpai!" he cried, widening his stride.

"I'm already at my slowest rate," he yawned. "If I go even slower, I'd be crawling, kora."

Skull's face glowed at the statement, and he was about to say something when Colonello stopped him with a bored glower.

"I am _not _going to have another Crawling Race with you to school," he stressed. "Not after last time, kora."

Skull pouted. Colonello wasn't able to resist the urge to smack him in the arm with his packed lunch.

"Don't give me that look," he scolded. "Go find someone else to challenge at the School Festival."

Skull's face glowed even more at the sound of the words, "School Festival". Obviously, he pretty much enjoyed last year's, and this time, he expected something better. As for Colonello, though, it was all the same thing.

The school more crowded than usual.

"Say, Senpai," Skull started. "Why'd you stay behind at school yesterday? Don't lie to me! A very reliable source saw you come out an hour after dismissal bell . . ."

"And that reliable source being . . .?"

"I'm not telling . . ."

"Oh gosh, let me guess . . . Mammon?" He gave his junior a knowing look, and Skull just had to grit his teeth in annoyance.

"Yeah, him . . ." he confessed, a hint of infuriation evident in his voice.

"Thought so," Colonello sighed. "Well, if it was Mammon, then I'm pretty sure he gave you the full story, so I have nothing to explain anymore, kora."

"Well, _he _didn't," Skull wailed. "I haven't enough money for the full-on rumor . . ."

"You're loss, kora." Colonello ran his hand through his soft blond locks, and continued down to his neck, causing a few girls who were able to walk near them blush and squeal like idiots. They called out his name, and gave out flirtatious waves, and Colonello nonchalantly waved back. But, upon seeing that he was with Skull, they went on as if nothing happened.

"Besides," he continued. "Why are you so interested if I stayed at school late, kora?"

Suddenly, Skull raised his head as another thought dawned on him.

"Oh yeah!" he claimed. "I forgot to mention another thing." The same mischievous smile implanted itself on his vandalized face as he stared calculatingly at his senior.

"Mammon said he found Miss Mirch come out, tear-stained, a few minutes before you emerged!" He gave a suspecting point at his Senpai. "Did you guys do something while everybody else was not around?"

"Yeah," he replied.

"AH-HAH!" Skull squealed in delight, and he let out a teasing song about Lal and Colonello sitting on a tree, and other things like that.

"We were talking, kora . . ."

"And talking about what, hmmm?"

"About her boyfriend, kora."

"YOU GUYS WERE TALKI—wait . . . What?" Skull's enthusiasm dropped big time as Colonello strode on ahead a bit quickly, as if to dodge the next statement to come out of Skull's purple lips.

"Miss Mirch has a boyfriend?" he yelled after him.

_I don't want to think about it anymore_

"Oops, sorry about that."

"Hngh, it's alright, kora."

Colonello struggled to stand up and dust himself off. He looked up to see who was the perpetrator, and saw a man blinking at him, a hint of worry in his blue eyes.

"Are you alright, son?" he asked, bending down to pick up the student's bag. "That was some nasty fall you got there. You didn't scratch yourself, did you?"

"I'm fine," he almost growled, reaching for his bag. "I wasn't looking at where I'm going anyway, kora."

"There you are, honey," a familiar voice called. Colonello looked up, and saw his cobalt-haired teacher come near, and wrap her arms around the other man tenderly. The pair of azure orbs turned grim at the scene before him.

"Hey, baby," the man cooed, giving her crown a light kiss as he returned her embrace. "Did you miss me?"

Colonello watched in disgust, and was about to excuse himself when she had noticed him.

"Colonello? Is that you?" she asked.

He gave her a slight glare before looking away with a disgusted expression on his face; something the man didn't notice, but Lal was keen to see.

"So Colonello's you're name, eh, chap?" the man chimed in. Lal nodded and introduced them to one another.

"Yeah, this is Colonello, one of my _students_ . . ." Colonello shot a dagger-filled look at her. He knew he didn't imagine that stress on the last word. He knew what she meant. She wants to convey him the message that he was and forever will be _just _her student, which connotes that he has no right to control her, especially with personal things. _Specifically _her personal life.

He almost scowled, if only that man was not there to see him do that.

He didn't want a fight.

_I don't know why you can't take the thought of leaving him_

"Senpai!"

Skull panted like crazy but gratefully when he saw Colonello stop to wait for him. He raised himself to say something, but stopped immediately when he noticed the wavering expression in his senior's blue eyes.

"What's wrong, Senpai?" he inquired.

Colonello adjusted his glasses back on, and continued towards their school, ignoring Skull altogether. The festivities had already started when he came in, and a lot of girls had already swarmed around him to offer a few things. He barely listened to them swoon themselves around him for there was only one thing that was going on in his head.

Don't get him wrong. He's not heartbroken. Just a bit . . . how shall one put this? Dazed with the things happening around him. It seems as if he was being played upon by a few thoughts he shouldn't really care about.

_So Lal was still with the same jerk, I see . . . _He gave out a sigh, and tried to enjoy things at his own pace. He turned and found that he had lost Skull to a bunch of other freshmen who wanted to try the rides.

He was left alone, and that, for our little blond friend, is a good thing.

It means he can sulk around without being interfered upon.

Lal watched him sulk about the grounds and couldn't help but feel sorry. While she is still firm on her side about not letting him impede with her decisions with her own life, she still couldn't help but wish she could bring back time a few minutes ago. At least, introduce to him the man he never met but condemned _properly_.

"Something wrong, dear?" her boyfriend asked. "You look a bit down again . . ."

"This is nothing," she quickly replied.

"Well, I see," he sighed with relief. "Hey, how about—"

His phone suddenly rang, and he immediately picked it up, and read the caller ID.

"Who is it?" she asked.

He stared at her apologetically, as he pointed at his phone.

"It's work," he explained softly.

"Oh." A hint of disappointment appeared in her voice as she looked away, and watched from the side of her eyes how he stood up and took the call.

Minutes later, he came back to her.

"Listen, Lal," he started, but Lal knew what he was to say.

'You're needed at work," she suggested knowingly.

"Sorry, Lal."

"It's fine," she choked, not anymore looking at him. "You can go."

"I'll be back as soon as this is over."

"Don't rush yourself," she reminded him, and watched as he ran the other way.

Soon, Lal was all alone again, and when she turned to where she saw her student was sulking alone, he was gone.

_There are a lot of others out there_

What Lal didn't know is that Colonello was also looking at her from the direction where her boyfriend went. He watched her as she stood up, and weakly went the other way, but he didn't follow her.

He didn't want to show to her that he cared.

That was because he didn't.

Instead he went to the direction where the other man went, and saw one of the gates of the school.

Obviously, that guy had already left, and goodness knows if he'll ever come back. He was about to return back, but he heard something familiar, and he had to go and come near the gate to check on something.

He peered at the guardhouse, and immediately looked away, and ran back to the opposite direction.

He knew it.

_Don't be afraid that you might not be able to find another man who can love you_

"Miss Mirch!" someone greeted. She turned around, and found this peculiar child running towards her. Her initial reaction was to run away and ask for help, but, as it was mentioned earlier, Lal was not the type who judged too early.

But, seriously though, who the heck was this kid?

"Good morning, Miss Mirch!" he greeted cheerfully after heaving up a few gasps from running here and there.

"E-er, good morning . . ." she stuttered, looking around uncertainly. "Who're you?"

"Oh, I'm Skull," he chuckled. "I'm a friend of Colonello's, one of your students."

"Ah," she breathed. "I thought you were an assaulter."

"Pardon?"

"I didn't say anything." Lal eyed him shortly, and mentally questioned Colonello's choice of friends. "How can I help you, Skull?"

"Nothing, really. I just wanted to check something . . . Pardon me being rude, but, do you, by any chance, have a necklace with an L-shaped pendant with you today?"

"Y-yes," Lal gasped lightly as her eyes casted downwards involuntarily. As a matter of fact, she's wearing it right now.

"So it _is _true . . ." he mumbled. "Thanks for your time, Miss Mirch!" Then he ran away back to his friends. She watched him questioningly, but soon shrugged it off and kept on walking.

"You're awesome, Mammon," Skull commented when he went near Mammon and Colonello who were standing near a food stall. "She actually _does _have that kind of necklace, but, what was with that necklace that keeps Colonello-senpai interested?"

"Don't ask me," Mammon retorted. "My services are for Colonello as of late, that is, unless of course, you pay me."

Skull sneered at him as he went back to Colonello.

"What's with the necklace, Senpai?" he asked.

Colonello's face turned bleak as he peered through his glasses.

"I was just trying to check, kora," he finally replied.

"As for your question, Colonello," Mammon began. "Yes, it is true that Lisa desires for the same necklace, with the similar designs, and she claimed that she will receive it from her boyfriend who happens to be an even older guy."

"Who's Lisa?" Skull asked.

"A senior," Mammon simply replied for free in hope that Skull would back off finally. The latter, on the other hand, had once again thrown the question to someone who would answer a bit more properly than the other senior.

"Also someone my teacher might find interesting to meet," Colonello continued with a knowing frown.

_And will never put your love into waste_

Lal sighed as she stared at the untouched ice cream dripping in her hands. Perhaps, she should go home already since she had nothing more to do. But, if she did that, she'll only risk feeling even lonelier without him anywhere near.

She had no choice but to stay there until she felt better.

But, how will she feel better?

It's not like she's very much acquainted with the other teachers. Nope, she's always been a bit evasive about them. And, don't even get her starting with her students.

_Students . . ._

For a moment, Colonello comes to mind. He had always been the dodgy kind of kid, but, nevertheless she enjoyed his company. Despite the fear that he may as well be hiding to avoid her, she still set out on a journey to search for him.

She knew very well that a mysterious kid like him hates the sun, so that means he was inside the building.

"Good morning, Miss Mirch," a few female students greeted, and she returned the greeting softly. She meant to ask them where she could find Colonello, but, they seemed to be in a hurry, so, nevermind.

She just kept on walking around the various classrooms until she reached an empty hallway, and found a kid standing in the middle of it.

It was a senior, and he was pointing at something on his side. Lal tried to come near but the kid stopped her with his hand, so she did. Again he pointed to his side, and she stared at him, eyebrow raised curiously. The kid seemed agitated, and started gesturing to his side much more aggressively, and with both hands. Lal still shook her head in bewilderment, and the man had no choice but to pick up a small slate board, scribble something furiously, and then flashed it at her.

'_LOOK TO YOUR SIDE, IDIOT' _it read, and she did.

There was an empty classroom to her left, and it was a bit dark. She turned to ask the senior again, but the senior had already gone, so she just chose to enter it.

The room was pitch black since it was in the latter part of the building, so no light from outside reached it. She felt her way to find a light switch, and when she found it, flicked it open and illuminated the whole room . . .

. . . Only to reveal two people having a bit of private moment with one another . . .

"Lal," the man breathed, lifting his body from the half-naked senior who stared at her with such wide, terrified eyes. The cobaltette drifted her eyes back and forth at both of them, and couldn't help but feel her whole world crumble underneath her feet. She was now awake, and, now that she was, her senses have finally kicked in.

The first thing she did was run away in pain.

"Lal!" her _ex_-boyfriend called after her as he fidgeted with his clothes. It was no use though. Lal was refusing to listen now that she's so far away from them again.

She didn't listen to anything anymore but the sound of her painful sobs.

She turned the corner and ran up the stairs towards the school's rooftop. No students actually went in there since most of the festivities were downstairs, but, unfortunately, there were three students who were hanging out and feeling the breeze to themselves.

They didn't seem to notice her, but she noticed them, and upon seeing that familiar blond head, she couldn't hold it in any longer and ran towards him with such longing.

"_Colonello!_" she cried as he turned to face the source of that noise, and found himself being tackled by a familiar blue head. Before he could react, she had already buried her face to his chest and clutched on his polo shirt.

For a short moment, Colonello's eyes widened in surprise, but nonetheless, the shock disappeared as he easily wrapped his arms around her waist. From his side, both Mammon and Skull watched, the latter gaping in disbelief while the earlier aiming a camera at the two.

"Get out," he muttered at both of them. "This goes between us, kora."

_Sometimes I really don't understand_

"Okay, what did he do this time, kora?" was his first question as he gently pushed her away, but she didn't budge. She just stayed like that as she sobbed everything that she had seen out. The blond man had no choice but to wait until she stops before he get an answer.

One minute felt like a year, and so five minutes felt like five years. Colonello have grown impatient, and had no choice but to guess the answer himself.

"Did he . . . leave you behind in the middle of your little date, kora?"

He felt her bangs brush against his chest.

She was shaking her head.

The answer was no.

"Did he . . . shout at you or something because you asked about the rumors involving him, kora?"

Her answer was still no.

"Then at least give me a clue first," he pleaded. "Or . . . are you still trying to tell me that this is not my business?"

Still, the answer was no.

Lal broke free to compose herself before facing her student again. As she stared into his deep, blue eyes, she couldn't help but think that she was not looking at a student, but rather, someone mature and knowing—more mature and knowing than she'll ever be.

"Colonello . . ." she whispered, reaching up to his face, caressing it with her trembling fingers. "I'm sorry . . . I've been a fool . . . I-I believed in something stupid! You were right all along . . ."

"Hold up," he stopped her, grabbing her hand and pulling it down. "Take a deep breath and tell me what happened first before you start talking like that, kora."

Lal did as she was told, but the sniveling never stopped. Colonello watched her almost with pity as she unstably walked towards the railings, and looked down.

"I saw him with a student," she mumbled.

"A student . . .? You mean Lisa, kora?"

Lal faced him, her broken expression concealed by her beautiful blue hair being ruffled by the wind.

"You know her?" she asked. Colonello shrugged.

"I . . . saw them, too, before you did, kora."

Lal's face hardened, and turned into a scowl.

"You already did and still, you didn't tell me?" she yelled.

"Why bother?" Colonello mocked. "It's not like you would listen to what I have to say, kora."

Lal's face dropped as she looked away in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," she whispered with a bitter chuckle. "You're the one who's always there for me, but here I am, wanting to blame you for everything."

"Hey, that's what idiots do, kora."

"Yeah, and I am probably the biggest one there is . . ."

"There's one thing you'd say that I will never argue with, kora."

_It's like our lives are being joked upon_

"So what's your plan now, kora?" he asked, walking near her, looking down at the merriment below. Everyone were all enjoying themselves, save for those two, student and teacher, who were standing up on top of a four-storey building, talking about such hurtful things.

"Change the lock on my door as soon as I go home," she replied, scanning through the sea of people underneath them. "That bastard has his own key to the house."

"Oh, you are such a genius, Miss Mirch," Colonello jeered. "Just when I thought you can't get any stupider, kora."

Lal didn't react anymore. He was right anyway. She was a dumbass for only waking up only now to the horrors of her relationship.

"Do you think I can move on?" she found herself asking, and she just had to laugh at that. The thought of a teacher asking her student about a future he may as well not be a part of was ridiculous even when _she _says it, but she needed someone's opinion, and she only trusts his.

"Of course," he answered. "With that hole in your head, you'd probably have a new affair more or less next week, kora."

"A bit quick, don't you think?" she asked.

"You never know," he teased.

_The world is a bit vague, isn't it?_

"Oh, look, there he is, kora," Colonello pointed out, dotting a man being escorted by the police outside the school grounds.

"Where are they taking him?" she asked. "And who called them in the first place?"

"Most probably, we weren't the only one who caught him and his little bimbo red-handed, kora." Colonello replied. He turned around and found Lal looking at the man who wriggled and struggled with a bit of despair. The student sighed, and lowered himself to get something from his bag. Soon, he straightened himself, and handed her a book. Lal looked at him questioningly, and then stared at the book.

It was a dictionary.

"Use it," he urged her. "You know you want to, kora."

At the school grounds, the students watched as three police officers lead an untidy-looking old man out of their school. From out of the blue, a book came swooping down from the heavens, and hit him directly at the head, leaving him cold, making the escorting much easier.

"Bull's eye!" Colonello remarked with enthusiasm as he watched the policemen carry him off the premises like a pig. "Nice shooting, Teach, kora!" He raised his hand for a high-five, but the uncertain look on her face stopped him.

He forgot he was still his teacher.

_People are trashing around what I always dream about_

"It's okay," she chuckled as she raised her hand slightly for a high-five. Colonello raised his hand as well, but not to smack hers, but to pull away her hair accessory, making her beautiful cobalt locks fall freely to her back, framing her lovely face. She almost blushed as she felt her hair worn down for the first time in school premises.

"There's still something wrong there," he muttered as he reached for her glasses, pulling them off to even more emphasize her attractive reddish-brown eyes.

"Perfect, kora," he finally said.

"G-give that back," she ordered, reaching out her hand for her glasses.

"Take your necklace off first," he demanded.

"W-what?"

Colonello dangled the glasses beyond the railings as he looked at her.

"Take it off or say bye-bye to your eyeglasses, kora."

Lal actually yelped as she fiddled with the silver necklace. She pulled it off, and stared at it solemnly.

"That thing was originally for Lisa, you know," Colonello told her. "But, I guess he was a bit afraid that you might find it and so he gave it to you instead, and then promised Lisa hers to be given next week. I caught them at the guardhouse exchanging their promises for birthday gifts. Apparently, hers was yesterday, kora." He stared at the necklace, and then jerked his head to the side.

"I think you should throw that away as well," he suggested. "The rightful owner might be waiting for it downstairs."

Lal nodded and threw it with full force; hurling with it was her feelings for that bastard who led her on for a whole year, making her believe that what they had was special.

"Okay," she panted. "Now, give me back my glasses."

"Do you own contacts, kora?"

Lal blinked at him.

"Uh, yeah . . . But, I don't like wearing them . . ."

"I think now's the time you do . . ." With not much force, he was able to break the eyewear into two, and, for added measures, he dropped the down to the ground, and stomped on them until they were unrecognizable. Lal was devastated.

"Y-you broke my glasses!" she cried. Colonello had to laugh as he reached for her forehead, and then gave out a smile he never gave to anybody else. Lal found herself turning crimson red for no apparent reason.

"I see. Well, here's another obvious thing you might want to point out as well, kora."

He gently tipped her head and kissed her lovingly on the lips, his tongue tracing the line between her lips. She retreated a bit from shock, but, nevertheless locked her hands behind his neck, and unleashed her tongue.

She should've known.

_In those thousand moments that you and I have been together_

_Only a handful of few of them was I able to see happy_

_It irritates me to think that you're only treated that way_

_Perhaps he doesn't really have any idea about your true worth in this world_

"It's still such a waste," Mammon softly whined as he walked next to Skull, both checking up the few stalls. "That picture of Miss Mirch crying on Colonello would've been photography gold . . ."

"Oh, come on," Skull reasoned out. "That was their private moment!"

"You know I don't give a damn about trivial things such as that . . ."

"Yeah right . . . And yet you still helped Miss Mirch discover the dirt of her own boyfriend when you found those two, and you did it for free! Why?"

"I didn't do it for free, idiot," Mammon scorned, pulling out something from his satchel. It was a pair of reading glasses.

"H-hey that's . . .!"

"Yeah, I know," Mammon smiled, playing with it as they walked on. "I'm pretty sure a _lot _of girls would pay a fortune for a pair of glasses owned by one of the school's _hottest _men."

**-FIN-**

**See? I told you it wouldn't be so bitter! Yay! Maggie's pace is over! I hope . . .**

**Anyway, thanks for reading!**

**LoveLots~**


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